Writer-director Nicholas Giuricich makes his feature-length debut with Spark. The romantic drama concerns Aaron (Theo Germaine) and his scavenger hunt. Said quest is at the behest of a friend’s birthday party and involves picking up a stranger named Trevor (Danell Leyva), who knows the birthday girl in question. After introducing themselves, Aaron and Trevor’s next clue whisks them away to an empty apartment. While searching for the next clue to the scavenger hunt, the two give in to their attraction to each other and have sex.
The next thing Aaron knows, he’s waking up in bed the same morning he just experienced. He’s confused, believing the previous day to be a dream or some weird deja vu thing. But when he restarts the day again, Aaron knows something strange is afoot. The problem is he’s the only one experiencing this, and the more he changes himself to be the person Trevor wants, the more he loses himself. Will Aaron discover a way out of the time loop, or will he be trapped being someone he isn’t for a guy he barely knows?
“…when he restarts the day again, Aaron knows something strange is afoot.”
Spark does hit a few of the familiar beats of a time loop story, such as the initial shrug-off of the first restart. However, Giuricich avoids a good number of them, which lends the film a certain freshness. While the ending somewhat undermines the message, the characterizations and revelation of what’s happening and why are engaging. The filmmaker lets the mystery linger just long enough to remain intriguing while instilling authentic drama and interesting character arcs. It certainly helps that the romance makes sense, as Trevor is beguiling.
Germaine is fantastic as the hopelessly romantic lead. His enthusiasm for getting to know Trevor better feels genuine, while the heavier dramatic moments are conveyed with the appropriate gravity. Leyva is enchanting and charismatic while still being a jerk at times. Vico Ortiz plays Dani, Aaron’s roommate. Oritz damn near runs away with the film, as they steal every scene they are in with their bubbly personality and sense of fun.
Spark is a time loop story, but one that largely avoids the expected beats. The characters are well-written, and the story is engaging. The cast is great, selling each dramatic turn with true emotions. The only thing preventing this from being perfect is the final scene because it muddles the character arc and message previously laid out. Still, this is a strong debut from a talented writer and director.
For more information, visit the official Spark site.
"…largely avoids the expected beats."
